


Hellions in the Fog

by treya_barton



Category: Tales of Zestiria
Genre: Alternate Universe - Persona Fusion, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-16
Updated: 2019-03-17
Packaged: 2019-07-13 06:18:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16012022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/treya_barton/pseuds/treya_barton
Summary: For SorMik week I wrote a story for the day with the theme of "Fog" that was a Persona 4 fusion.  I decided to expand that idea into a full story and have tweaked some of what I wrote originally to work with the full storyline.





	1. Midnight Channel

Sorey and his mother pulled up at the first gas station they encountered in Ladylake, for his mother wanted to go ahead and refill now so she wouldn’t need to tomorrow when she ran errands.  She headed inside to pay with cash, while Sorey got out of the car to stretch and look around.  He was approached by the gas station attendant, who offered Sorey his hand and introduced himself with a quiet voice – Sorey couldn’t quite make out his name and was too polite to ask him to repeat himself.  He asked if Sorey and his mother wanted him to clean their windshield, and after glancing to see it was pretty dirty from the drive up, Sorey nodded and smiled, thanking the attendant for his service.  The attendant pulled out a spray bottle and a cloth and began whistling as he got to work, while Sorey looked around at the surrounding businesses on the street in fascination. 

Selene and Sorey Shephard were both moving to Ladylake after she and her best friend Muse Seraphim decided it would be better their sons completed high school in a bigger city.  Sorey and Mikleo, Muse’s son, were also best friends and were happy they would be moving to a bigger town together.  Elysia, the town they came from, was pretty small and rural, so they had essentially grown up with only each other for company; they had to travel pretty far to get to school and none of the other kids lived nearby.  They had only been to visit Ladylake occasionally and were ready to explore their new surroundings and make new friends.  Sorey and his mother had gotten an apartment close to their new school, while Mikleo and his mom would be moving in with Michael, his uncle who already lived in the city and worked as a history professor at the local university.  Sorey’s mother had gotten a management position at a new shopping center named Camlann opening up in town, while Mikleo’s mother got a job at the same university as her brother, only in the admissions office instead.

Sorey was interrupted from his musings as his mother returned and began to gas up, thanking the attendant who bowed slightly before heading over to a different car to offer his services.  Sorey stretched and smiled, before staring up at the blue sky peeking through the tall buildings surrounding him.  Ladylake was going to be an adventure and he couldn’t wait to explore the city with his best friend before starting school.  Mikleo and Muse had moved into his uncle’s house a few days ago, and Sorey had been lonely without him in Elysia.  They would both be showing up that afternoon to see them and welcome them into the new apartment, and Sorey couldn’t wait to see him again.  It was strange not having Mikleo around when he was so used to seeing him practically every day.  After his mother finished gassing up the car, they arrived at the apartment, where the movers were waiting with their furniture.  Selene took charge and began pointing out where she wanted everything to go, while Sorey walked through the apartment, surprised by how much smaller it was than their old house in Elysia.  Selene had inherited the house when her parents passed away, and it had been pretty spacious.  This was as still a comfortable size for the two of them, and Sorey honestly didn’t mind the downgrade in space if it meant more opportunities and more to do.  After the movers finished setting everything up in their apartment, Selene took care of the payment for them before calling Muse to let her know they were ready for their visit.

About fifteen minutes later, they heard a knock at the door and Muse showed up with Mikleo in tow, bringing some takeout as housewarming gifts.  Both boys immediately disappeared into Sorey’s room to catch up while they ate, while Selene showed off the apartment to Muse before they both sat in the living room in order to chat.  The boys were both excited about starting school in a few days, and Mikleo explained all of the places he had discovered in the city already that he couldn’t wait to show to Sorey.  Sorey couldn’t help but admire Mikleo as he talked, with his shining amethyst eyes and feathery light blue hair, studying him carefully to see if anything had changed in the time they had been away.  Mikleo noticed and lightly teased him for it, although his own eyes afterward roamed Sorey’s face similarly, taking in his expressive emerald eyes and messy brown hair.  It was reassuring seeing that they both hadn’t changed much in the short time they had been away, and they soon fell back into their usual banter.  After they left, Sorey and his mother turned in early for the night, both of them exhausted after their long trip from Elysia.

That night, Sorey ended up having an odd dream.  He was sitting in long blue room with blue velvet upholstered chairs and a bar along one side, reminding him of what stretch limos always looked like in the movies.  He encountered a tiny old man with slicked back white hair that curled up at the ends, the sides braided down to frame his face, and a sharp pointed beard gracing his chin sitting across from him.  His eyes looked closed and were hidden behind large bushy eyebrows.  He introduced himself as Zenrus, and sitting adjacent to him was a stocky man whose hair was still gray and hadn’t quite turned white yet, with a goatee and a thin, long moustache.  He introduced himself as Mayvin and both seemed mysterious, yet kind. 

Zenrus explained that he was very interested in Sorey’s potential, and that he operated under the fool arcana which meant that he had limitless possibilities.  He also spoke of a contract, and that if Sorey agreed to the contract he would gain the ability to shape the world.  Because it was a dream, Sorey agreed, not really considering the consequences which he could already mentally hear Mikleo nagging him about.

Right after he had accepted the contract, everything blacked out, and Sorey had found himself floating in a dark void.  He could hear strange growling noises in the distance, and felt sudden fear grip his chest at the eeriness of the sound.  He then saw something flash in the distance, and he blinked in surprise when he noticed a bizarre figure that was humanoid in shape but faceless, wearing long flowing robes and holding what appeared to be a curved staff.  It seemed to notice him back and began gliding toward him, and right as it reached out to touch him he awoke with a start.  To his surprise, he was covered in a cold sweat and his heart was racing from terror.  ‘What was that?’ he wondered, shaking his head and trying his best to allow the odd dream to fade away.  It stayed with him, however, and he began to wonder if it was so vivid due to how tired he was from his long drive.  He briefly considered messaging Mikleo, but he decided he didn’t want to bother the other teen and went to get a glass of water to cool off before attempting to fall back asleep.  Luckily, this time he didn’t have any odd dreams, and he fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

On the boy’s first day of class, they were introduced as transfer students by their homeroom teacher, an arrogant man named Mathia Bartlow who, based on the lecture he gave the class after pointing them to their seats, seemed to dislike children.  They ended up sitting next to two girls named Edna Malak and Lailah Flamberge, the latter of whom immediately introduced the two of them.  Lailah seemed a bit spacey but was very nice and offered to show them around the school later.  Her family owned the local inn, and she was set to inherit it once she got older.  Edna, meanwhile, had seemed much less interested in helping them out, and had a dry, snarky sense of humor.  Although she was almost completely opposite from Lailah, they both somehow seemed to get along, and the boys could tell that they were actually good friends.  To Mikleo’s dismay, Edna quickly seemed to pick up that he could be a bit sensitive, and was soon teasing him and quickly adopted the nickname Meebo for him, much to his disdain.  She tried to do the same to Sorey, but she soon found that he was indifferent to her attempts due to his easygoing nature.

It didn’t take long for Sorey and Mikleo to befriend Edna and Lailah, even if that friendship seemed tenuous between Mikleo and Edna, and they were soon settled into their school routine.  That is, until several days later when an ominous announcement was made over the loudspeaker during homeroom.  “Due to an emergency situation that is being investigated close to our school, we will not be holding classes today.  You are to remain in the classroom until further notice.  Parents have been notified of the situation and may be allowed to pick up their children if they choose to do so.  Faculty are to remain vigilant until we learn more about the situation.”

Immediate hushed whispering began to fill the classroom as the students pulled out their phones and began to try to figure out what was going on.  Bartlow tried to get them to settle down, but eventually gave up once he realized it was a hopeless endeavor, and he stepped out of the classroom in order to check with the neighboring teachers to see if any of them knew what was going on.  Sorey, Mikleo, Edna, and Lailah also huddled together, Edna expressing happiness at missing school that day while the other three tried to puzzle out what was going on.  No one was able to figure anything out, and about an hour later another announcement was made that it was safe to go home but that a street close to the perimeter of the school was currently blocked off for a police investigation.  A street that Sorey and Mikleo happened to both pass by on their way home; they were able to walk together for about half of their trip before splitting and always left school together.  So, although they had been warned not to, the two curious boys made their way to the street, stopping where it was blocked off and curiously looking around until they finally saw it.  There was a body hanging upside down and tangled up in the power lines.

Sorey immediately turned away, fists clenched as he tried to regain his composure, while Mikleo lightly gasped and stared in horror, one hand covering his mouth.  Sorey tugged at Mikleo’s sleeve to capture his attention, before dragging him away from the gruesome scene.  The woman had long auburn hair tied back into a long ponytail which hung in a limp curl from where her head dangled.  Her bangs looked like they normally covered one eye, although at the angle she was hanging from they had slid down and lay in a suspended loop away from her face, showing both eyes which were wide open and staring in glassy horror.  Neither boy could get her ghastly expression out of their heads.

“So that’s why they wouldn’t let us leave the classroom,” Sorey said once they were far enough away and began to breathe a little easier.  “They were probably afraid there may be a killer on the loose.”

“Well, that certainly doesn’t look like a suicide,” Mikleo replied.  “How on earth did they get her body up there though?  What an awful thing – to have your body on display like that after you were murdered.”  The light blue haired boy shivered, and Sorey couldn’t help but join him.  It was definitely disconcerting, especially since they had both just moved to the city.  Ladylake had never had something like that occur as far as either one of them knew, but they were still cautious on their way to Mikleo’s house, inherently deciding to stay together that day until their moms or Mikleo’s uncle came home from work.  They huddled up in Mikleo’s room, briefly watching the news which was of course talking about the murder and the fact that the police had very little to go on beyond the bizarre showcasing of the body, before flipping it over to a popular idol show in order to try to get their minds off what they had just witnessed.  They both received frantic phone calls from their mothers once they had each seen the news and heard the voicemails from the school, and they assured both of them that they were fine and holed up at Mikleo’s together.  Needless to say, their moms ended up coming home early that day, wanting to ensure their sons were safe with their own eyes.  Selene and Sorey ended up staying over for dinner that night, the tv set to the news by Michael’s insistence, so they were forced to watch the media coverage of the murder.  Sorey and Mikleo carefully averted their eyes anytime a shot of the body was shown; although it was from a distance and not as close up as what they had seen, even the distant shot caused them to vividly remember her glassy eyes and twisted expression.

The next day at school everyone was buzzing about the murders.  Lailah, who was a bit of a gossip, was telling them that a student had found the body on the way to school, and that the police thought the body had been hidden by the heavy fog that night since she appeared to have been murdered around midnight.  They couldn’t see any physical evidence of her murder and were doing an autopsy because they suspected she may have been poisoned.  The woman’s name was Maltran Marlind and she was a prominent figure in Ladylake who had been embroiled in a political scandal involving her boss, a local politician named Georg Heldalf.  She had been under investigation after being accused of accepting bribes on Heldalf’s behalf, and since nothing had been linked directly to him yet, she had been taking the brunt of the accusations.  Some people were thinking she had been killed in order to silence her from sharing too much and linking Heldalf to the possible corruption, and there were a lot of rumors going around about it.  Heldalf hadn’t said much beyond expressing disbelief and sadness at the loss of his campaign manager, who he had worked with for a long time, and had pretty much stayed inside to avoid the press who were hounding him for an interview.

The girl who had discovered Maltran’s body, Felice Ayn, had been interviewed on the news yesterday and was staying home today due to the shock of what she had discovered.  Sorey and Mikleo couldn’t blame her – it had been quite upsetting enough seeing it from a distance, and they couldn’t imagine how horrifying it would have been to see it directly.  Her twin brother, Talfryn, had been dodging curious questions all day from people pestering him about what his sister had seen, and about halfway through the school day he appeared to skip class in order to get away from the attention. 

Once Lailah was finished gossiping about the murder, Edna switched gears to another rumor that had been going around.  “Some stupid kids think if you look at a blank tv screen at midnight when it’s raining you can see your soulmate,” she said.  “I think it’s pretty dumb but…” she trailed off, her eyes sparkling lightly.  Mikleo braced himself while Sorey and Lailah both looked interested.  “Some people claimed that they saw Maltran on the midnight channel before she died.”  The other three gasped, leaning back at the knowledge while Edna looked satisfied by their reactions.

“That’s terrifying,” Mikleo said after a few moments, frowning slightly.  “Is this really true or are you pulling our legs?”

“It’s really something I heard,” Edna shrugged.  “You know how people get with superstition though.  However…” she trailed off.  “It is raining tonight if you want to test it out.”

Mikleo, who was more suspicious of Edna’s intentions, looked like he wanted to say no, but Lailah and Sorey were both intrigued.  “Yeah, we should definitely check it out,” Sorey said, his eyes shining with curiosity.

Mikleo sighed, for if Sorey was going to do it he would too.  “I guess,” he grumbled while Lailah clapped her hands together.

“Let’s exchange numbers so we can report on what we see!” she said excitedly.

Thus, that night all four students wound up right at midnight staring at blank tv screens, curious about what they would see.  To their surprise, their tvs did in fact crackle on, showing a fuzzy picture that appeared to be the outline of a girl with hair that looked vaguely familiar.  The sound was staticky as well, and they all had trouble making it out.  For some reason, Sorey felt drawn to the screen, and before he knew it he was standing in front of it, staring intently to see if he could make out any details about who it was.  He reached out to touch the screen, and he was startled when instead of touching smooth glass, the screen felt more like a liquid and he felt his hand start to pass through.  ‘What the heck?’ he thought, pausing and staring in fascination at his hand currently halfway through the tv.

Curiosity won out and he was soon trying to push more through, feeling something cool and slightly damp on the other side.  He pushed through as much as he could, but his tv was really too small for him to go in much further than one arm.  He pulled his arm back out and then looked at it curiously, not seeing anything different.  The tv then clicked back off and his room was suddenly bathed in darkness.  He checked his text messages and noted that everyone else had mentioned seeing the channel and the outline of a girl, but none of them had mentioned anything like what he had experienced.  He decided to bring it up the next day at class.


	2. The TV World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorey, Mikleo, and Edna end up in a mysterious world on the other side of the tv.

Of course, when he mentioned it the next day before class, he was met with three blank stares.  “You were probably tired,” Mikleo explained.  “It was already weird that the channel actually popped up to begin with.”

“I wasn’t tired,” Sorey insisted.  “It really happened.”

Lailah and Edna exchanged glances.  “Well, I guess you’ll just have to prove it,” Edna pointed out.  “Unless, of course, you’re too scared?”  It was obvious she thought Sorey was messing with them.

“Fine.  My mom said they’ve got some new large tv screens in at Camlann.  We can see if it works even without the midnight channel,” Sorey said.  “I feel like with a larger screen I can go in farther anyway.”

It was Mikleo’s turn to shoot him an odd look, questioning why Sorey would even want to, but the bell rang to signify the start of class and they soon settled in.  Lailah was unable to go with them to the store since she had to work at her family inn last night, but she made them promise to tell her what happened.  Edna promised gleefully, obviously feeling like nothing would happen, while Mikleo felt much less sure than he had earlier.  He knew that Sorey wasn’t lying and definitely thought he experienced something, for the boy was a terrible liar and wouldn’t lead them on about something like this.  Plus, the other weird events going on in the past few days were really starting to do things with his imagination.  He glanced at his best friend worriedly as they made their way to the shopping center, Sorey walking confidently ahead while Mikleo and Edna trailed behind, both with their arms crossed.

Once they reached the electronics department at the store, Mikleo and Edna began to look in amazement at the large screen TVs which were much bigger than what most people had in their houses.  And also much more expensive.  They both began pointing out how ridiculously priced each television was and how hardly anyone around here could probably afford it, while Sorey walked up to the biggest one that was sitting on the bottom shelf and looked at it curiously.  He carefully reached out and placed a hand on the screen, smiling in satisfaction when it rippled around his hand and allowed him to start to push through.  Mikleo and Edna didn’t notice until after he pushed his head through, trying to see what was on the other side.

“Holy sh…Sorey, get your head back in here!” Mikleo said, heading over to yank him out.  Edna, meanwhile, looked panicked because she had not expected Sorey to be telling the truth, and when she stepped forward to help Mikleo pull Sorey out, she ended up tripping on a cord that wasn’t secure and instead knocked all of them through the screen.  Sorey grunted in surprise while both Mikleo and Edna screamed as they all crashed through, ending up sprawled on a metal platform with studio lights hanging overhead keeping it lit up.  It was hard to see anything because they were also surrounded by a thick fog.

“Where the hell are we?” Edna asked, looking a bit scared although she tried to hide it behind her usual indifferent façade. 

“No idea,” Sorey said, brushing himself off and helping Mikleo up.  Mikleo also looked worried and couldn’t help but press a little closer to Sorey.  None of them could see a way out, and something about the fog and the lighting was giving all of them a headache.  There was a definite heaviness to the atmosphere that weighed on them oppressively and they didn’t like it.  “We should probably look for a way out though,” Sorey decided, and neither of the other two disagreed.

Thus, they slowly made their way along one of the paths that branched away from the platform, a metal walkway with railings along each side that appeared to suspend above a void that had the thick fog floating above it.  “The fog reminds me of the night Maltran was murdered,” Edna said in a quiet voice, and the other two shivered.  It did look just as thick as the fog that had blanketed the city that night.  Edna couldn’t remember Ladylake really getting as much fog as they had been getting lately either – it was something the local weather stations had been commenting on in the past several weeks.

“I see something up ahead,” Sorey said, for he was walking in front yet again.  Although he was also scared, especially because the dark void below reminded him of the strange dream he had, whenever he was around others he always tried to appear strong in order to make it easier on them.  Mikleo watched with a quiet frown, for he knew this about him.  Since growing up, Sorey usually tried to appear confident on his behalf, and while it irritated him a little, he couldn’t help but admire how Sorey always looked out for others too.  He just wished that Sorey would rely on him a little more.

They soon reached their destination which was an odd portal looking door with swirling red and black that led into a windowless building, and they exchanged glances.  “I’m not sure about this,” Mikleo said hesitantly.  “I don’t like that we can’t see what’s inside.”

“Maybe it’s the exit though,” Sorey countered.  “I think it can’t hurt to check it out.”

They both turned to Edna who also looked uncertain.  Finally, she sighed and said, “It’s probably better to make sure,” although she seemed to side more with Mikleo on feeling apprehensive about it.

Sorey nodded and turned to face the door, taking a deep breath before stepping through it.  Mikleo quickly followed, not wanting Sorey to face whatever was inside alone, while Edna hesitantly brought up the rear, standing closer to the doorway just in case.  They were all shocked at what they saw inside.  The room was lined with different trophies, pictures, and awards showing accomplishments, with Maltran’s name emblazoned on the trophies and awards.  She could be seen in the different pictures, although the faces of many of the people handing her the awards or posing with her in the photos had been angrily cut out.  Strewn across the ground were small pieces of the photographs that had been cut up even further, and in the middle of the room was a chair that had been knocked over with a rope hanging from the ceiling with a noose tied at the bottom.  The three teens immediately pressed closer together, and upon noticing that there didn’t appear to be any exits in the room they quickly ran back out.  In fact, they kept running until they made it back to the platform again, Sorey leaning over with his hands on his knees to catch his breath, Mikleo laying out on the ground in exhaustion, and Edna sitting on the ground next to him with her knees tucked under her, also looking worn out.

“Does this mean that lady was here before she died?” Sorey asked once his breathing had returned to normal.

“All I know is I really don’t want to be here anymore,” Edna replied, frowning.

“Then leave!” a voice piped up behind them.  They all turned in surprise to see a creature that looked pretty much like a small plushie staring them down with a frown on its face.

“What the heck are you?” Mikleo said, eyes wide as he stared back.

“I’m Phoenix!” it replied irritably.  “And I’m tired of you people showing up down here and disrupting everything!  Now get out of here!”

It was hard to take the little creature seriously with its small, light brown body and cute oversized orange hat, but it suddenly flung out its paw, causing a pile of TVs to rise up from the floor, and began ushering them toward them.  The three teens backed away from the strange being, unsure about what it could do, until they eventually ended up falling back through the TVs, luckily landing back in the electronics section at Camlann, sprawled out in front of the large television.

“Thank God,” Edna groaned, while Mikleo pushed her off of him, trying to catch his breath after it had been knocked out once she landed on him.  Sorey was sitting up and studying the tv quietly, processing what they had just experienced.  “Lailah is never going to believe us, and I honestly never want to go back there again to prove her wrong,” Edna said.

“I can’t help but agree,” Mikleo replied.  He looked nervously at Sorey, who looked more puzzled and deep in thought than he liked.  If Sorey’s interest was piqued, it probably meant that wasn’t the last they’d see of that strange world on the other side of the tv.

“I need to get home.  My brother promised to call today,” Edna said, standing up.  She would occasionally mention her older brother Eizen to them who was currently away for college – it was obvious she looked up to him a lot.  She reached over and offered her hand to Mikleo, who was surprised at the kind gesture and allowed her to help him up.  Edna was surprisingly strong for her petite stature, and she pulled him up easily to his surprise.  “Sorey, it’s probably best if we just leave that place alone,” Edna cautioned, also noticing the brunet’s thoughtful gaze.

Sorey blinked, before turning to face them.  “It was pretty scary,” he agreed.  “Are you both alright?”

“Yeah, we’re fine,” Mikleo said, feeling a bit better now that Sorey’s attention had returned.  “Let’s head home.”  As they headed out from Camlann, it had started raining again.  Edna pulled out an umbrella from her bag that she always carried with her before dashing off home, while Sorey turned around and quickly bought an umbrella for both of them to share.  They headed over to Sorey’s apartment together since it was closer, and Sorey knew his mom wouldn’t mind giving Mikleo a ride home later.  Along the way back to Sorey’s, they tried hard not to think about the strange thing they had experienced in the tv, and instead switched focus to the homework they’d have that night and the historical drama they were both watching.  They liked to point out the inaccuracies and where the show took creative license.  Edna had overheard them talk about it during lunch their second day and had immediately called them nerds.

That night, the three of them couldn’t help but watch the midnight channel again, since the light rain had turned into a steady downpour.  They were all surprised this time when the tv screen popped on, since the picture was clear and easy to see.  The outline now clearly showed Felice, the girl who had discovered Maltran’s body, and she looked like she was terrified.  To their horror, the place that she was located in looked like that strange place in the television, with the only difference being it was no longer foggy inside.  Once the screen popped off, Mikleo immediately called Sorey.  “Did you see that?” he asked, unable to mask the fear in his voice.

“Yeah, I did,” Sorey replied, also sounding shaken.  “Do you think…?”

They both immediately quieted, not wanting to consider the possibility.  “Let’s just try to get some sleep tonight.  We’ll talk about it with the other two in the morning,” Mikleo decided.

“Probably a good idea,” Sorey agreed.  “Good night.”

“Night.”


	3. Hellions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorey and Mikleo go back to explore the strange tv world and encounter something they didn't expect...

The next day, they woke up to a thick fog that didn’t dissipate even when the sun finally came up.  As a result, they ended up walking to school in it and couldn’t help but be reminded of the strange place they had seen the day before.  Then, they arrived to find the school in an uproar.  Another body had been found hanging from the powerlines, and this time it was a student – Felice.  Her twin brother Talfryn had shown up at school unaware of what had happened, and arrived to find his homeroom teacher waiting for him at the entrance with the news.  His sister’s body had been discovered during the time he had been walking to class – his family thought she had just left early that morning and had been unaware anything had happened.  His teacher had then walked him to the police station to meet up with his stricken parents who had left to identify his sister’s body.  That had been how the news had spread, because several early students had witnessed the interaction between him and his teacher.

Everyone was in shock that another murder had occurred so soon, especially since it was the very girl who had discovered the first one.  People were gossiping that whoever silenced Maltran must have thought Felice had seen something that might catch them, while others thought that it may be a serial killer and expressed worry about their safety.  Sorey, Mikleo, and Enda, however, couldn’t help but remember seeing Felice on the midnight channel the night before and how terrified she had looked.  They also couldn’t help but think about the fact it appeared that both Maltran – and now Felice – had possibly ended up in that strange world.  They did have to wonder why they were able to pass through and return without seeing anyone but the odd plushie creature, when both Maltran and Felice had been unable to escape. 

Thus, before class they filled Lailah in on what they had experienced, making her promise not to say anything to anyone else.  She could hardly believe it, but she knew Edna well and when the girl was trolling or being honest, and she could tell by how shaken the blonde was that she was definitely telling the truth.  “So, what do we do with this information?” she asked.  “Go to the police?”

“I doubt they’d believe us,” Mikleo pointed out.  “They definitely wouldn’t let us prove it either.  We’re just kids and it’s a pretty fantastic story.”

Sorey was looking down, obviously thinking, and looked up to face them.  “I want to go again today,” he said, and Mikleo who had suspected it was coming let out a sigh while the other two gasped.

“But it’s so dangerous!” Lailah interjected.

“This time we’ll come prepared,” Sorey countered.  “I want to see if we can verify that there is a connection between Felice and the tv world, especially after what we experienced yesterday and then later saw on the midnight channel.”

“What do you mean, prepared?” Edna asked.

Sorey leaned forward.  “Mikleo’s uncle is a history professor and collects weapons.  We can borrow some of them to bring with us.”  Mikleo groaned and sunk into his chair, already imagining the trouble they’d get into.  “And we’ll also bring rope and leave someone on the other side to reel us in – that way we won’t potentially get stuck like last time.”

“So, who gets to stay on the other end?” Edna asked incredulously, looking like she already knew the answer to the question.

“Obviously I’m going with Sorey,” Mikleo said quickly before the brunet could answer. 

“So, I have to try to reel both of you in?” Edna grumbled.

“Hey, I saw just how strong you were yesterday when you helped me up,” Mikleo pointed out.  “You’re much stronger than you look.”

Edna punched Mikleo in the arm, who immediately winced and rubbed at the area, glaring at her because he knew it would probably bruise.  She grinned victoriously before saying, “Fine.  If you both are stupid enough to go back in there, I guess I be there to try to save you when things go wrong.”

Mikleo rolled his eyes while Sorey grinned.  “Great!”

Lailah let out a sigh.  “I wish I could join you guys but I have work at the inn again. I will cheer you on from afar instead!”  They set a time to meet up back at the electronics aisle before getting prepared for the start of class.

Hours later, the three of them stood in front of the large television yet again, Mikleo gripping a staff while Sorey had a sword strapped to his belt.  They had managed to sneak them inside in large bags that usually carried camera tripods and were now stashed behind the tv to keep them out of sight.  They were tying the ropes around their midsections while handing the other end to Edna to hang onto.  She and Mikleo looked nervous about what they were about to do, while Sorey was focused and rehearsing the plan mentally as they got prepared.  Not long afterward, both boys were ready, and after Sorey took in a deep breath he took the plunge into the tv with Mikleo holding onto him.  The moment both boys passed through the tv, the rope keeping them connected to the real world was immediately cut, and Edna clutched at it in shock, immediately trying to hide her worry with irritation.  She knew those boys going in there was a bad idea, and now she had no way to help them.  When she placed her hand against the tv, it was solid for her, which meant she needed Sorey in order to be able to pass through.  ‘What am I supposed to do?’ she wondered, standing powerlessly in front of the blank screen.

On the other side, Mikleo had felt the rope snap after him, which caused both him and Sorey to immediately crash onto the ground.  Like last time, the pile of TVs the strange creature had summoned was nowhere to be found.  “What do we do now?” Mikleo asked, staring back up at where they had fallen.

“We stick with the plan for now,” Sorey decided, taking the sword out of its sheath and gripping it in his hands.  Mikleo gripped his staff before nodding to show he understood.  They made their way down a different path this time, not wanting to return to that bizarre room with the cut-up pictures and angry energy.  This time, the new path emptied out to a place that was very familiar to both of them and instantly got their guard up.  It looked like Elysia, their home town.  Their town was built on a mountain and thus they had a great view of both the valley below and the top of the peak above them.  The particular area they were on now looked like the street they had grown up on, and they could see both their childhood homes sitting side by side.  The town was an exact replica, made creepy by the fact everything was dark and empty and the fog was swirling around them like yesterday.  Also, while all the houses including Sorey’s had what appeared to be a door, Mikleo’s house had another one of those weird portals just like yesterday.  Mikleo felt apprehension sweep through him, and without realizing it he took a step back.  Everything – seeing his childhood home in this awful place, suddenly feeling homesick, wondering why it was his house with the entrance – began to crowd his mind and he suddenly began to feel dizzy.

Sorey had noticed Mikleo’s sudden shift and turned around, eyes widening when he saw the panic on his best friend’s face.  He immediately placed his hands on both of Mikleo’s shoulders, calmly telling him to breath and watching his face closely until Mikleo looked like he had calmed down.  “What’s wrong?” Sorey asked.

“What’s wrong?” Mikleo asked, pointing at their homes.  “Why is Elysia showing up in this place?” he asked.  “Why is my house the one with that weird portal on it?  Sorey, I’m scared!”

Sorey sucked in his breath, but he didn’t step away or flinch.  He looked to see what Mikleo was talking about, and his eyes widened when he realized he was right.  “It is chilling,” he admitted, letting go of Mikleo’s shoulder.  “I…I don’t know why any of this is happening,” he added.  “But I can’t leave something like this alone.  Not something connected to you.”  His voice wavered slightly, and Mikleo could tell that the fact that the portal had appeared on Mikleo’s house definitely unnerved the other boy.  Once Mikleo had pointed it out, he had been unable to tear his eyes away.

Before Mikleo could do anything to catch his attention, their thoughts were interrupted by an odd growling sound.  Sorey immediately tensed, for he recognized that sound from his dream.  He felt his heartrate spike and a cold sweat begin to form at his back as he turned to find what was causing the sound.  Mikleo also turned in confusion, not as tense since he had never encountered it before.  They found themselves face to face with two wolf-like creatures that had a strange, black mist covering them and glowing red eyes.  They were the ones making the growling noise, and it immediately turned into a snarl as one leapt at Mikleo, who immediately defended himself with his staff and knocked it back.  The other circled around behind, making it to where the two of them couldn’t escape.

“What are those?” Mikleo asked, and Sorey shook his head.

“I have no idea,” he said, dodging as the other one leapt at him, jaws wide open and ready to bite.  He circled back around it, lunging forward with a thrust, for he had practiced sword fighting growing up at a dojo outside of town.  He managed to nip the shadowy wolf, but it only seemed to anger it.  Both beasts were fast, much faster than the boys, and they soon found themselves struggling to defend themselves, let alone set up a counterattack. 

Right when Sorey felt like he was running out of options, however, he felt a voice inside of him say, “I am thou... Thou art I... From the sea of thy soul, I come.”  Sorey blinked in confusion, stopping and not paying attention when Mikleo called out his name in panic.  “I am the Shephard, who will purify all malevolence!”  Suddenly, a bright light burst forth from Sorey, and the cloaked figure he had seen in his dream rose above him.  He lifted up his staff and immediately shot out a bright light that descended upon each of the shadow wolves, causing them both to dissipate into a puff of smoke.  Sorey and Mikleo stared at the Shephard in awe, Sorey no longer feeling afraid although Mikleo definitely looked concerned.  The Shephard bowed its head at Sorey before disappearing with another flash, causing a card to flutter down at him.  Sorey caught it and looked down at it, noting that on the back it said it was the fool arcana and on the front it said Shephard and had a picture of the figure they had both just seen.  He immediately thought back to the weird dream, for they had mentioned the fool arcana along with a contract that he had accepted; he wondered if this strange ability he had to pass into the television was a result of that.

“Sorey,” Mikleo said, catching his attention.  Sorey looked up at him, noting the concern on his best friend’s face.  “What haven’t you told me?”

Sorey took a deep breath.  “It’s a lot.  I promise, once we leave here, I’ll tell you everything.  But for now,” he turned to look at the replica of Mikleo’s house.  “I want to investigate whatever that is.  I can’t just leave it here, not knowing what might happen to you.”  Sorey turned back to look at Mikleo as he said that, and Mikleo’s heart skipped a beat upon his serious gaze.

“Alright,” he said after a moment.  “But you better tell me everything.”  He reached out his wrist to Sorey who immediately bumped his against it.  “You ready to go?” Mikleo asked, and Sorey nodded.

They both gripped their weapons before stepping inside, immediately disconcerted by how much it matched Mikleo’s childhood home.  Mikleo looked around in trepidation, while Sorey carefully made his way forward, popping his head into the living room and the kitchen to see if he noticed anything.  They were surprised to hear a shuffling sound upstairs, which appeared to be coming from Mikleo’s room.  They exchanged glances before carefully making their way upstairs.  Once they reached the door to his room, Sorey slowly opened it before staring in surprise at what appeared in front of him.  It was Mikleo, dressed in their old school uniform, perched on his bed and staring at both of them with intent yellow eyes.  The eyes were the only thing different about him, since Mikleo’s were a violet color.  Sorey stared in shock, freezing as Mikleo pushed past him to see what had him so startled.  Then, he also immediately stopped.

“Hello…me,” the other figure greeted, standing up from the bed.

“Wh-what?” Mikleo stammered, also frozen in place.

“I know you heard me,” the other Mikleo said with a sigh.  “I am thou and thou art I,” he added with a smirk.  “That any clearer for you?”

Sorey was immediately caught by the similarities between what this malevolent looking Mikleo said and what Shephard had said earlier.  “Maybe we should listen to what it has to say,” he suggested, and Mikleo frowned, immediately crossing his arms defensively.

“Fine,” he said crossly, while the other one laughed.

“I am your hellion – your true self,” he explained.  “I am the side of you that you do not wish to admit exists.  I know all of your secrets – all the thoughts and feelings you hide from your so-called best friend.”  He smirked now at Sorey, who shot Mikleo a curious glance.  Mikleo’s face had turned red, and he was obviously holding in his anger.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he snapped, hands balling up into fists.

“Oh, but you do.  All those times growing up that Sorey would stand up for you or try to act courageous while hiding the fact he was just as scared as you.  You hated it,” the hellion sneered.  Mikleo grit his teeth, and Sorey had to physically hold Mikleo back from swinging at him.  He had a feeling it wouldn’t lead to anything good.  He also couldn’t help but feel a little sick inside.  Did Mikleo really feel that way about him?

“He never relies on us, does he?” the hellion continued.  “He always pushes ahead, doing whatever whim comes to mind, never stopping to take in consideration your opinion or if it inconveniences you.  But you care about him oh so much and go along with it in the end, afraid if you don’t he’ll finally abandon you for good.”  Mikleo looked stricken by that comment, and Sorey watched with a sinking feeling as the energy seemed to immediately drain from his friend.  It looked like that comment hit too close to home, and it seemed to hurt the other young man.

“That’s…not true,” Mikleo finally found his voice, although it wasn’t as ardent as before.

“Oh really?  Do you really think that?  Because I know what you really feel,” it said leaning forward with a smirk, “and how deep your jealousy goes. Because I feel it too.”

That seemed to set Mikleo off.  “You, are not, me!” he shouted, and the hellion immediately began to laugh at his response.

“Fine, if you won’t accept me, then I’m afraid I’ll have to get rid of you instead,” it sneered.  A dark mist suddenly burst forth from the hellion, wrapping around it and hiding it from view until it burst out.  It was a long, sinewy creature whose body looped and twisted around as it hung in midair.  It had four legs with three claws, spikes along its back and feathers at the end of its tail, and it was covered in light blue scales that matched the color of Mikleo’s hair.  Two horns stuck out of its head, long whiskers ran along each side of its face, and it had a large mouth with very sharp looking teeth. 

“I think…your hellion turned into a dragon,” Sorey said, and they both immediately dodged as it summoned a pillar of ice that crashed down right where they had been standing.  Sorey immediately called forth Shephard again to aid him, before turning to check to see how Mikleo was faring.  The other boy definitely seemed to be struggling with the information the hellion had taunted at him, and Sorey felt his chest tighten.  He had never guessed that Mikleo may harbor some of those feelings about him, but he immediately could see why and he felt bad about it.  Really, it was his own fault for not always listening when Mikleo tried to exercise caution or realizing that his friend sometimes felt Sorey would somehow not need him someday.  Sorey cared about Mikleo and always needed him around to keep him grounded and to support him – no one understood him quite like his best friend after all.  He’d have to find a way to reassure him of that.

For now, however, he had to keep his head in the fight, for the ice dragon they were facing was unpredictable with its ice attacks and sudden lunges where it swiped with its claws, and he had to keep focused.  He and Mikleo worked well together, and they were able to step around each other, intuitively knowing where the other would attack and step next.  They had trained together their whole lives and grew up running around exploring the wilderness around Elysia, so they were better prepared for an encounter like this than your typical teenager.  However, that didn’t mean it was in any way easy.

Sorey also utilized Shephard, sending blasts of white light at it which did seem to have an effect on the shadowy miasma that still surrounded the beast.  Sorey wondered if it had anything to do with its claims to purify malevolence, but he couldn’t think on it too much, especially when Mikleo got hit by the most recent round of ice pillars crashing down on them, causing him to hurry over to check on him.  “Are you alright?” Sorey asked, immediately offering his hand to Mikleo and pulling him back up.

“Yeah, I’m fine.  Just a little winded,” Mikleo said.  Behind them, the dragon was thrashing about, taunting them about how they would die here and end up strung up just like the other two.

“Well…I guess that answers that question,” Sorey commented, and Mikleo frowned next to him, deep in thought.

“I have something I want to try,” he said, and Sorey turned to look at him.

“What?” he asked.  After hearing the hellion speak, he wanted to be better at paying attention to what Mikleo wanted. 

Mikleo expertly spun his staff in his hands, looking at the dragon with careful consideration.  “Let me attack it head on.  I’ve noticed that its attacks seem more aimed at me than at you, so this should draw its attention.”  Sorey let out a gasp, barely biting back his kneejerk reaction to immediately shoot the idea down.

Mikleo noticed, clenching his fists slightly until he realized that Sorey had held back and was still listening.  “That should give you time to circle around it and maybe summon a more powerful version of that light attack.  It seems to be doing much more damage that our hits with the staff and the sword.  Trust me, I can handle it.”

Sorey’s teeth were clenched, and he had to force himself to nod.  “Mikleo, it’s not that I don’t trust you.  I just…I care.  I don’t want you to get hurt.  That’s why…” he trailed off, but Mikleo nodded, giving him a small smile.

“I know,” he said, before waving Sorey off.  He then squared his shoulders before rushing in against the dragon, surprising it by darting forward and hitting with a loud smack.  It roared in fury before attempting to slash at him, an attack that Mikleo deftly dodged.  Sorey, meanwhile, quietly circled around the dragon as promised, mentally questioning Shephard to see if it did indeed have a stronger attack.  To his relief it appeared to, and he quickly began to summon it.  He kept an eye on Mikleo in the process, flinching when the other boy finally got sliced by the dragon’s claws, causing a gash to form on his cheek.  It didn’t appear to be very deep, however, and Mikleo soon shook it off before launching another attack.  That gave Sorey enough time to summon the stronger bolt of light, causing it to crash down upon the dragon, knocking it to the ground and finally reducing it back down to its hellion form. 

Both boys cheered, rushing forward and throwing their arms around one another, glad that the fight was finally over.  The hellion struggled to sit up, giving them a dark look before sulking in a way that Sorey found incredibly familiar.  He glanced over at Mikleo who huffed before making his way over to his other self.  “There…may be some truth to what you said,” Mikleo finally confessed, and the hellion looked up at him in surprise.  “I do sometimes feel like that, like Sorey’s leaving me behind.  But I also know deep down that he won’t.  It’s something that I struggle with because of my own insecurities,” he added.  “Which is why I push myself everyday to get better so I can be on even footing with him.”

Sorey looked down, eyes saddened upon hearing Mikleo’s confession.  “So, I apologize.  I shouldn’t have denied the truth, just because I didn’t want to hear it.  Or for him to hear it.”

His hellion smiled at him, before reaching his arm out in a familiar way.  Mikleo smiled back, bumping wrists with him and causing the hellion to disappear with a bright flash of light.  In its place was a humanoid figure dressed in white clothes lined in gold with blue accents and glowing blue eyes.  In its hands was a bow made of ice.  It faced Mikleo and seemed to speak for a moment before bowing and disappearing, leaving a card in its place with the Magician arcana on the background.  “He says his name is Luzrov Rulay,” Mikleo explained, before pocketing the card.

He then turned to look sheepishly at Sorey.  “I guess we both have a lot to talk about,” he said, and Sorey smiled at him.

“Yes, we do,” he agreed.  They then made their way out of the house and back down the path to the main platform, unsurprised this time to see the odd plushie creature waiting for them with a glare.

“Is it you who keeps pushing people in here?” Phoenix accused.

“Huh?” Sorey replied, while Mikleo shook his head.

“So, there were other people here?” he asked.

“Yes, someone kept pushing them in here,” Phoenix explained, giving them both suspicious looks.  “They kept wandering in here until the fog lifted and the scary hellions came out and attacked them.”

Sorey and Mikleo gasped.  “Is that how…?” Sorey started to ask, before cutting himself off.  They both exchanged looks.

“So, you don’t know who’s pushing them in here?” Mikleo asked.

“No.  You’re the only two who have shown up by yourselves. I let you out last time because I didn’t want to see you get caught once the fog lifted,” Phoenix explained.  “You’re really not the ones doing it?”

“No, we’re not.  But, we also would like to figure out who is,” Sorey explained.  “When that happens, those people show up murdered in our world.  We don’t want that to continue happening.”

“Then I’ll help you,” Phoenix said after several moments.  “When they show up, the hellions get really angry and it’s scary here.  I just want things to return to normal.”

“Thank you,” Sorey said, giving Phoenix a warm smile.  “For now though, can you let us out of here?”

“Ok,” Phoenix said, waving his hand again.  The TVs rose up from the ground as before, and Sorey and Mikleo promised to return to investigate some more after they got some rest.  Phoenix waved at them this time as they left, looking a little less antagonistic now that they had the same goal.

They ended up back in the electronics section, faced with a pissed off Edna who immediately clobbered both of them.  “How could you two idiots go in there all foolhardy and leave me here a worried mess?” she complained, immediately stopping when she realized they were actually sporting cuts and bruises.  “What happened, did something actually attack you?” she asked.

Sorey and Mikleo exchanged glances.  “It’s a long story,” Mikleo began.

“We’ll explain more at lunch tomorrow,” Sorey added afterward.  He and Mikleo exchanged glances again, before bursting into laughter, happy to have made it out alive.  Edna quickly ended it however, with another round of punches as she reminded them where they were and the fact they were trying to avoid suspicion.  Both boys winced, before carefully packing up their weapons, hiding them in the bags again.  In the process, Mikleo glanced at Sorey and grinned deviously, swiftly moving in behind him before thrusting his hands on each side of Sorey’s abdomen where he knew he was incredibly ticklish. 

“Gotcha,” Mikleo said in triumph, as Sorey began trying to squirm away with a laugh.

“Gah, Mikleo!” he complained, jerking away before immediately doing a counter attack, knowing that Mikleo was incredibly sensitive on the back of his neck.  Sorey had a technique where he would just barely run a finger along the base of his neck, causing Mikleo to immediately tense up before chasing after him again. 

Edna watched both of them with a frown on her face, thoroughly unimpressed by their childish display, and angrily asked, “Are you trying to get us kicked out of the store?” which immediately ended their tickle fight.  “I thought your mom worked here,” she added, staring at Sorey who shrunk under her gaze.  She had a point.

“Ok, we’ll stop,” Sorey agreed.  “We just.  We went through a lot in there.  It’s just good to feel alive.”

Edna sighed and surprised them by taking both of their bags.  “You do look like you went through hell,” she agreed, before walking up ahead without another word.  Both boys smiled at her retreating back, realizing that was Edna’s way of showing she cared.  They would have a lot to discuss in the days ahead, but at least now they had some clues and some tools at hand to solve this strange mystery that was infecting Ladylake.


	4. Seraph

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorey and Mikleo discuss the things they had been hiding from each other.

That night, Sorey asked to spend the night at Mikleo’s in order for the two of them to talk.  Mikleo looked pretty exhausted by their ordeal – moreso than Sorey – but struggled to stay awake for a bit so they could hash out everything they had been hiding from each other.  Mikleo was lying on his stomach on his bed, clutching his pillow so his head could rest on it, while Sorey was sitting on the guest futon Mikleo’s mother had set out for him.  Sleeping over at each other’s houses was such a normal occurrence for them that neither of their mothers were surprised when they asked, even if it was a school night.  Muse had been a bit skeptical of their cuts and bruises, but knew their penchant for exploring and took their word for it when they said they slipped and scuffed themselves up checking out an abandoned warehouse near the lake.  She berated them and told them to be more careful before leaving them with the first aid kit.

Mikleo decided to start, stubbornly keeping his amethyst eyes open even though they really wanted to droop shut.  “First of all, how did you get Shephard?” Mikleo asked.  “Did you go in and face a hellion on your own without Edna and me knowing?”  He was frowning as he said it and had an accusing look on his face.

Sorey shook his head.  “No.  I didn’t have to face a hellion,” he quickly explained.  Mikleo looked confused and he couldn’t help but feel perplexed as well.  He explained his strange dream and accepting the contract, along with seeing Shephard floating in his subconscious after that.  He explained that when they were in danger, he had felt Shephard’s pull and that after he had said something similar to Mikleo’s hellion about being a part of him, Shephard had suddenly appeared.  Just as Sorey had suspected, Mikleo’s eyes had narrowed the moment he mentioned accepting the contract, and he sat up on his bed while resting his pillow in his lap.

“Accepting that contract was mighty reckless…but I suppose you get a pass because it was a dream,” Mikleo sighed.  “Whoever Zenrus and Mayvin are were pretty manipulative to do that to you.”

Sorey shrugged.  “At least it allows me to try to do something about these paranormal events in town,” he replied thoughtfully.  “I don’t want anyone else to die.”

Mikleo tossed his pillow at Sorey grumpily.  “You’re fifteen years old.  It’s not your job to save this town,” he pointed out.  Sorey caught Mikleo’s pillow and looked down.

“I know.  But…this isn’t something the police can handle,” he explained.  “Not everyone can pass through the tvs – Edna said after we passed through it was blocked for her.”  Mikleo bit his lip, unable to refute that point.  “If I can do something I want to help.”  He looked at Mikleo hopefully.  “And…I don’t plan on doing it alone.”

Mikleo ran a hand through his hair.  “Of course I’ll help,” he said.  “Did this Zenrus and Mayvin explain anything else?  Like what Shephard and Luzrov Rulay are?  They’re not really hellions anymore, are they?”

Sorey shook his head.  “I haven’t really dreamed about them since the first time,” he admitted.  “But…I think they’re seraphs.”

Mikleo raised an eyebrow.  “What makes you say that?”

“I…felt Shephard kind of replied to your question.  In here,” Sorey said, pressing his hand against his chest.  “I can hear him sometimes.”

Mikleo’s brows furrowed and he closed his eyes for a moment before they suddenly flew open.  “Me too,” he realized.  “Yeah, Luzrov Rulay also said the same thing.”

“It kind of sounds close to your last name,” Sorey joked.  “Is there something you’re not telling me?”

Mikleo threw another pillow at Sorey’s face, and the brunet couldn’t help but chuckle.  He then began to look serious.  “So, about what your hellion was saying earlier,” he started to say, and he noticed Mikleo stiffen and look a little anxious.

“Yeah?” Mikleo asked softly.

“Why…didn’t you ever tell me?” Sorey asked, eyes sad.  “I mean, I guess I should have noticed too but…” he trailed off.  “I hate that this whole time I’ve been causing you pain.”

Mikleo shook his head.  “My insecurities were what caused me pain, Sorey,” he insisted.  “You’ve just always been so strong and independent.  Always trying to help others and forging ahead.  I was worried that one day you may not need me or I wouldn’t be able to keep up.”

Sorey frowned.  “I’ll always need you,” he said honestly, and Mikleo blushed.  “I will try to listen to you more though.  That wasn’t fair of me,” he admitted.

“Thanks,” Mikleo smiled, before leaning forward and holding out his wrist.  Sorey smiled and bumped his wrist against Mikleo’s before returning his pillows. 

“You should probably get some sleep now,” Sorey yawned, and Mikleo nodded in agreement before laying down and quickly passing out.

Sorey that night ended up dreaming again about the blue velvet room, only this time Zenrus was absent and he was only faced with Mayvin.  “I see you have summoned Shephard and are starting to discover bits and pieces to the mysteries you are faced with.”

“What are Seraph?” Sorey couldn’t help but blurt out, and Mayvin’s eyes twinkled. 

“That is for you to discover along your journey,” he explained.  “For you are tasked with discovering the truth at the heart of these unknown events.  As the fool, you are best equipped since your path is ever fluid.”

Sorey frowned slightly at his cryptic replies, and Mayvin laughed.  “Just think of it as a puzzle you need to solve,” he explained, and Sorey couldn’t help but like that idea better.  “If you ever need to talk to us, look for a blue door and you’ll find we are just on the other side.”

Before Sorey could say anything else, he found the vision of the room fading from his mind as he drifted deeper into sleep.  He would vaguely remember it in the morning, wondering about Mayvin’s comment over looking for a blue door.  However, he couldn’t ponder on it for too long since he and Mikleo needed to get up and get ready for school.

When they reached their school gates, they noticed a commotion.  Lailah was standing by the school gate with her arms crossed and looking very upset at a boy with messy blond hair wearing a school uniform that was different from theirs.  There were a few students in the periphery that were obviously watching and whispering amongst themselves.  “C’mon, you know you’ll have more fun if you just skip school and come with me,” the strange boy said, eyes looking a little wildly at her.  Sorey and Mikleo could tell that Lailah looked incredibly uncomfortable.

“I don’t even know who you are, so I am certainly not going anywhere with you,” Lailah insisted, and the boy’s eyes narrowed.  He looked like he was about to reach forward and grab her arm, causing both Mikleo and Sorey to start to move forward, stopping only when another male student stepped in the way.

“I believe the lady said no,” he said, stepping between Lailah and the stranger, carefully pressing into his space.  He was tall and lanky with long white hair tipped with green pulled back into a high ponytail, his school jacket unbuttoned to show off his white undershirt and the sleeves on his jacket rolled up on his arms.  He gave the stranger a dangerous smile.  “You should probably move along and make sure you’re not too late to class yourself, seeing as your school is on the opposite side of town,” he added casually, and the stranger frowned before walking off with a huff.

Mikleo and Sorey were surprised to see he had bright red eyes, and they both had to wonder if they were contacts.  They then turned to Lailah and rushed over, asking worriedly if she was alright.  “I’m fine,” she said with a sigh before leaning back against the gate.  She then frowned at the other man.  “I didn’t need your help,” she snapped, and Mikleo and Sorey looked surprised.  Usually Lailah was so pleasant, so it was odd seeing her look annoyed at the guy who had helped her out.

The other student immediately broke out into a wide grin.  “I just can’t leave a lovely lady alone when she’s in distress,” he replied teasingly, and Lailah let out a snort.

She then noticed Sorey and Mikleo’s confused expressions.  “This is Zaveid.  He’s a third year and friends with Edna’s brother who graduated last year.  He’s an incurable flirt so don’t take anything he says to heart.”

Sorey and Mikleo looked amused by Zaveid’s mock hurt expression, which suddenly became more serious.  “Are you ok?  I saw the report last night…”

Lailah let out a deep sigh.  “I’m fine,” she said, looking a bit weary.  “Just not looking forward to the gossip today.”

“What happened?” Sorey asked, and they were interrupted by the arrival of Edna.

“Some reporters from this shady news show were harassing Lailah at her family inn the other day.  They wanted to do a news scoop about her being a young heiress and when she refused and ran them off, they published this bogus story last night trying to tarnish their reputation,” Edna said grumpily.  “Lailah called me about it after I got home last night.”  She looked at Lailah straightforwardly.  “Those guys are nothing but scumbags and everyone knows their show is trash.  Your family inn has been respected for generations so you have nothing to worry about.”

“Thanks, Edna,” Lailah said with a smile.  “It’s still pretty embarrassing though.”

Edna then turned to glance at Zaveid.  “What are you doing here?  Bothering Lailah again?” she asked, and Zaveid grinned.

“I came to check on my best friend’s adorable sister!  He did say to keep an eye on you now that he’s gone to college,” he replied, and Edna rolled her eyes.

“I don’t need your help,” she replied, linking arms with Lailah and heading to class. 

Zaveid pouted again, while Mikleo and Sorey hurried after Lailah and Edna to catch up with them.  They heard Zaveid mutter about how no one appreciated his help as they ran off, and they couldn’t help but laugh.  It looked like during lunch that day they would all have a lot to talk about.


	5. The Case

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorey, Mikleo, Edna, and Lailah try to piece together the odd events they've encountered so far.

During lunch, Sorey and Mikleo politely refrain from asking about the television incident, although they were both incredibly curious about it.  They could tell how much it upset Lailah, however, and they didn’t want to further distress the sweet natured girl.  Instead they explained to both girls what happened in the TV World, glossing over the specifics about Mikleo’s hellion while explaining how creepy it was to see their hometown appear on the other side.  Both girls were enthralled by their story and listened intently, Lailah leaning forward in anticipation while Edna also had rapt attention, although she tried to hide it by sitting with her arms crossed and appearing bored.  Once they were finished, everyone was silent for a moment as they mulled over the information.  “That’s really creepy that your town showed up over there,” Edna commented.  “I wonder how that happened.  You didn’t have that weird tv ability before, did you?” she sharply asked Sorey.

He shook his head.  “I was never able to do that until we moved here.  And back home there was no rumor about a Midnight Channel either,” he confirmed.

“And you also said you couldn’t go through yourself although you had gone through with me and Sorey before,” Mikleo added, nodding at Edna.  “It’s all so strange.”  He also had his arms crossed as he puzzled over the information.

“Hmmm…and you said there’s a cute little creature on the other side who’s willing to help you out?  And he looks like a stuffed animal?” Lailah asked, while winking at Edna.  The blonde girl blushed before smacking her arm.

“Yeah, he’s a weird little creature,” Edna grumbled.

“He said something about people being pushed into the TV World though,” Sorey said, suddenly remembering their conversation.  “Which means there’s definitely someone behind the murders.”

They were all silent for several moments as they considered what that meant.  “I hate to say this, but I’m not sure if there’s a whole lot we’ll be able to figure out until the next victim is chosen,” Mikleo added honestly.  “Which means…”

“We’ll have to wait to watch the Midnight Channel again,” Edna finished for him.  She heaved a deep sigh.  “I don’t know if this is something we should be getting ourselves into.”

Sorey raised his head and clenched his hands in his lap.  “I already decided I’m going to try to solve it.  I promised Phoenix,” he said.  “I can’t just sit by and do nothing if people are in trouble either.  And it’s not like the police can do anything in this situation, right?”

Mikleo nodded his head.  “I already told Sorey I would help him out,” he agreed.  “We understand if you both think it’s too dangerous though.”

Edna and Lailah exchanged glances, and Edna let out a sigh.  “You’re both idiots,” she muttered, and Lailah smiled at her.

“We’ll help out too,” she told them.  “As much as we can anyway.  I’m sorry I’m often too busy.”

“It’s ok,” Sorey assured her, before beaming at them both.

Several days later, it was finally another rainy evening, and Sorey found himself sitting in his room, waiting impatiently for the time to strike midnight.  When it finally did and the tv flickered on with that telltale sound of static, he found his eyes glued to the screen as he tried to figure out the shadowy figure.  It looked vaguely feminine with long hair, and while something seemed familiar about it he couldn’t quite tell.  The text he got from Mikleo had a similar sentiment, so it wasn’t until they arrived at school the next day that they realized why.

“I think it’s Lailah,” Edna said straightforwardly, pacing next to their desks as they waited for the bell to ring to start class.  Lailah’s desk was noticeably empty next to them.

“Ah, that explains why it looked so familiar to both of us,” Sorey realized, thinking back to the silhouette.  He and Mikleo glanced back at Lailah’s empty seat before looking back at Edna. 

“So…where is Lailah today?” Mikleo asked and Edna let out a sigh before sitting down.

“Trust me, I thought about it already.  I texted her when I got to school and she replied that she’s staying home to help out,” she explained.  “They’re booked for the weekend with a wedding party and needed the extra help.”  She looked down.  “I messaged her to be careful, and she seemed to think I was being silly to be so worried.  She didn’t watch the channel last night though so she just doesn’t understand.”

“We’ll just have to keep an eye on her,” Sorey replied firmly.  “I’m sure with her being at home with so many people around she’ll be ok though.  And with us looking out for her at school, nothing should happen!”  He smiled at Edna confidently, and the blonde couldn’t help but let out a small smile.

“I hope so,” she replied.  They were interrupted by the sound of the bell and all sat down, ready for Bartlow to start class with another one of his rants about the youth of today.

That evening it was still raining, so the three of them stayed up to watch the Midnight Channel with baited breaths, hoping that they were somehow wrong the night before.  To their horror, when the screen finally popped on, they realized that not only had they been correct, Lailah was now showing clear as day, albeit not quite looking like herself.  For one thing her school uniform was altered with the skirt shorter than how she usually wore it and her hair in long pigtails.  Another difference was the fact her eyes were a bright yellow color and she had a wide, unsettling grin on her face, much different from her usual kind, polite smile.  The area surrounding her looked vaguely like their school and was devoid of any other students although they could hear the sound of chatter in the background like there was someone there.  It was distinctly unsettling.  “Are you here to be the lead in my high school drama?” Lailah asked, twirling a lock of hair around her finger as she appeared to look into the camera.  “You could be the secondary lead too – I don’t mind,” she added with a wink.  While she continued to talk, Mikleo called Sorey.

“What is going on?” he asked, and Sorey shook his head.

“This is like a twisted shoujo manga,” he commented.  He knew Lailah liked to read them since she often had one in her bag at school.  “I’m not quite sure if that’s actually her or not.”

“I guess we’ll have to find out tomorrow at school.  I hope she’s ok…” Mikleo replied, and Sorey nodded.

“Yeah, I hope so too,” he said softly.  “We’ll just have to stay positive and find out tomorrow.”

“I’m going to check on Edna,” Mikleo replied before hanging up, and Sorey set down his phone.  He let out a sigh and watched as the screen faded back to black. 

‘Even if that was Lailah, we’re going to save her,’ Sorey reminded himself resolutely.  What appeared on screen was strange, but it wasn’t anything like what they had seen the one night when Felice had died which gave him hope.  They would definitely be able to save Lailah, they just had to.


End file.
